How people evaluate your retaken courses?

[kamikade]

Hello everyone,

I very interest in quantitative finance and I want to apply to a grad school for quantitative finance next year. The issue is I did not focus on the first 2 years so my overall gpa for the first 2 years was only 3 but the last 2 years I will get app 3.7+ overall. So my question is how do recruiters evaluate retaken courses if I re-take some of them to improve my gpa (one of them is linear algebra). I am allowed to re-take 3 courses therefore I will re-take all courses I got C and I will try my best to get at least A- for all of them.

Because in the first 2 years, I didnt focus on studying therefore my linear algebra is C and an A- for calculus 1. However, I got an A for linear algebra 2, multivariable calculus and numerical 1. The same issue for stat, I got A- for stat 1 and B+ for Stat2 but I got all A for 2 probability courses, time series analysis and mathematical statistics. I did not take any programming class but I do programming trading strategies based on technical indicators (C++ and Java) (I can provide my portfolio if required). So my question is: after retaking linear algebra 1 (for sure i will get an a for it), is my profile looks strong in term of technical skills or should I do anything else to improve my chance? By the way, my target schools are: Boston, Baruch, Utoronto, Uwaterloo, Rutger (mathematical finance).

Thank you

 

[Tsotne]

I don't think your retaken course will harm you just because you retook it. If you get the overall GPA which will be considered to be satisfactory then not a huge value will be placed on retaken course. As for C++ and Java I really wonder how you can provide your portfolio...having some working experience? If yes then it'll be a good advantage especially for MFE. So if you don't have a working experience with those programming languages then I'd personally search for some certification courses for them. Good Luck

 

[onthesc]

retake it, and do well to show your will and competence.

 

[kamikade]

Thanks guy,

As for programming, I did not have work experience. What I do is making an automated trading for retail traders (it does not contain alot of programming complex work thou) based on some available strategies. Anyway i wanna play safe so I guess I should take some programming classes at school.

Once again, thanks guys